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Shop & Customize Our Bestselling College Care Packages

TIPS TO SENDING THE BEST COLLEGE CARE PACKAGES

Give your favorite co-ed a reason to call home with care packages for college students that are as unique as they are. 

The weeks leading up to college campus move-in day are all about your student–will the roommates be weird, what textbooks do they need, where do you find those infernal yet universally-required XL twin sheets for the dorm. You may wonder if you’re about to be upstaged by their influx of new friends or the cornucopia of dining hall desserts, but don’t panic, parents. This is your moment.

The days after they’ve left for school provide the perfect opportunity for you to collect some college care package ideas–both for your current peace of mind and your child’s future delight. With a bit of planning, you can send a college care package that will arrive just about the same time they’ve settled in and started to miss home (it’s that darn parental sixth sense again). Unlike that text with the questionable emoji you sent last week, a personalized box of surprises is a failsafe way to get them to call and catch you up on campus life.

Of course the first box of goodies you send to your college kid should be a special one–but know that whatever you pack will set their expectations high for years to come (that’s where we come in!). The key to creating a great care package full of gifts for your student is to include surprises she likely wouldn’t find on her own–probably not in her roommate’s care packages, and certainly not in the campus bookstore. You know your child better than anyone: their favorite foods and hobbies, how they like to decorate their room, the school supplies they always seem to lose or forget and–most importantly–what makes them laugh.

Many college student care packages fall short on creativity–junk food and novelty gag gifts abound, but those just clutter the dorm room and invite the notorious Freshman 15 (yup, that’s still a thing). We’ve made it easier to make a thoughtful college care package with research and a few basic formulas you can follow when you’re deciding what to send to your college student.


Common Types of College Care Packages: Off To A Great Start, Healthy Foods, Exam Survival and Thinking of You
  1. The beginning of the year Off To A Great Start gift basket sets the tone for the rest of the year. This most common type of care package sends love to your college kid from home just when they're still finding their feet. Contents that boost their newfound independence might include practical items you realized during move-in that they still needed, sentimental items such as favorite foods, and healthy snacks. The most important part of this gift, however, is the personal note from home!
  2. Exam Survival Packages are also quite common, and should be timed to arrive 2 weeks before final exams when academic pressure is at its peak.  Coffee and healthy snacks are great study fuels to get them through this stressful period of the semester.  
  3. There's no limit on the amount of Healthy Snack Packs that a college student -- and their roommates and friends -- can consume during a semester. Balance nuts, dried fruits, teas and other healthy choices with a few treats such as cookies or chocolate.
  4. Finally, sometimes everyone just needs a little boost, especially when they're away from home.  Thinking Of You care packages might include grooming or fun items to make their dorm or apartment feel more cozy, attractive journals to make note-taking more fun.  Or if they're under the weather, you might include a Get Well care package to get them back on their feet. 

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